Leveling-rod.



PATENTBD DBO. zo, 1904.

W. B. SHROPSHIRE.

LEVILIIIG ROD.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNI: 1s. 1904.

No MoDnL.

ATTORNEYS mmm;

lss

, reel.

UNITED STATES Patented Decembef 2o, 19o/i'.

y PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM BRYAN sHRoPsHIRE, on rITrsRURG, GEORGIA.

SPECIFICATION forming partei' Letters Patent No. l778,080, dated DeCember 20, 1904. Application filed June 18, 1904:. Serial No. 213,116.

To (1J/Z whom I5-may conccrrw Be it known that I, WILLIAM BRYAN SHROP- sHIRE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburg, in the county of vVVallIer.

and State of Georgia. have invented a new and Improved Leveling-Rod, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to leveling-rods, and more particularly to those which are extensible. Its principal objects are to provide such a device which may be read directly by the observer at all extensions.

It consists in the various features and combinations hereinafter described and more particularly claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is abroken front elevation of one embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 isa similar side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional vdetail through the tape- Fig. Lis an enlarged perspective view of the head of the rod, and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

10 designates the lower section of the rod, this being protected at its bottom extremity by a shoe 11. At its upper end is fixed a guide 13, through-which moves an upper rod-section 14, carrying at its lower end a'guide 15, surrounding the lower section. Threaded through a sleeve or boss 16 at one side of the guide 13 is a clamping-screw 162 which may serve to force a clamping member 161 against'the side ofthe upper section.

Fixed to the face of the section lOconveniently in ashallow groove therein is a Iiexible scale, here shown as consisting of a tape 17 of some suitable material, as thin metal or fabric.v At the upper end of the rod-section 14 is a heady or enlargement 18, to which is fixed a casing which, as illustrated, consists of side pieces 19 19 and a cap 2() secured thereto. The head has at each side a groove 21, con- Y' tinuing a recess 22 between the sections, and

the sides of the casing are divided to clear The purpose of the channel thusy this groove. formed will be hereinafter stated. Extending between the sides of the casing is a spindle 23, upon which rotates a reel consisting of a drum l24C and cheeks 25. This reel is held normally in one direction by a spring 26, fasltened at oneend to the spindle and at the opposite end to the drum. Thetape 17is wound about this drum and secured thereto at its inner end. Immediately below the reel, with its outer face preferably located substantially` vided with a grooved face 28, similar to that in which the tape-isiixed upon the lower section.

In the ordinary type of extension-rod the v scale-graduations are so applied to them .that

it is impossible to read these consecutively from the lower to the upper section except when the rod is extended to its full height. In situations where there is limited head roomsuch asin mines, sewers, and buildings-it is often impossible to secure this complete extension, and in such cases a target must be resorted to.

a skilled rodman who can read the verniers the rod inust-be carried back-to the observer for each reading'. With my improved rod this is unnecessary, for as the upper section is raised upon 'the lower the tape, which is continuously graduated from its lower end, is drawnof the reelover the guide-roll 27 and adjacent face 28, and thus furnishes consecutive graduations, this continuing from a This requires considerable timev -for accurate setting, and unless operated by position of minimum to full extension, en-

abling the observer to read the levels directly through his linstrument. desirable to obtain more accurate readings,

the rod may be providedwith the usual target T, carrying verniers, which is indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2 ofthe drawings, this target having its guide members operating in the channel formed by the groove 21 and recess 22.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A leveling-rod comprising sections movable Irelatively to one another, and a flexible scale member fixed to one of the sections and.

movable over the other.

2. A leveling-rod comprising sections mov- If, however, it is' IOO able relatively to one another, a liexible scale member fixed to one of the sections, and a reel upon another sectionwith which lthe scale member coacts.

3. A leveling-rod comprising sections movable relatively to one another, a flexible scale member fixed to one of the sections, a reel upon another section with which the scale member coacts, and means for rotating the ree-l.

4. A leveling-rod comprising sections movable relatively to one another, a flexible scale member ixed to one of the sections, a reel upon another section with which the scale member eoacts, and automatic means for rotating the reel.

5. A leveling-rod comprising two sections sliding upon one another, a tape Secured to one section, and a reel carried by the other section and upon which the tape is wound.

6. A levelingrod comprising two sections sliding upon one another, a tape secured to one section, a reel carried by the other section, and a clamp connecting the sections.

7. A leveling-rod comprising two sections sliding upon one another, a tape secured to one section, a reel carried by the other section and upon which the tape is wound, and a Spring act ing upon the reel.

8. A leveling-rod comprising two sections sliding upon one anothena tape secured to the face of one section and movable upon the other, and a support for the tape carried by the latter section.

9. A leveling-rod comprising two sections sliding upon one another, a tape secured to the tace of one section and movable upon the other, a support for the tape carried by the latter section, and a guide carried bythe last-named seetion and lying substantially in the plane of the face of the lirst section.

l0. The combination with a rod having two sections, of a head carried by one section, a reel mounted within the head, and a tape extending over the reel to the other section.

ll. The combination with a rod having two sections, of a head carried by one section, a reel mounted within the head, and a tape extending over the reel and lixed to the other section.

l2. The combination with a rod having two Sections, of a head carried by one section, a spindle lixcd in the head, a reel rotatable about the spindle, and a tape extending over the reel and ixed to the other section.

13. The combination with a rod having two sections, oi' a head carried by one Section, a spindle {ixed in the head, a reel rotatable about the spindle, a spring attached to the spindle and reel, and a tape extending over the reel and lixed to the other Section.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specilieation in the presence of two su bscribing witnesses'.

WILLIAM BRYAN SllltOlSlllllll.

Titnessesz A F. H. NAYLon, Giro. XV. S'rnrnnNsoN. 

